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Gichin Funakoshi 

Gichin Funakoshi was born in 1868 in Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture. He studied Karate-do from chidhood

under !asters "#ato and $tosu.

He founded the Shotokan association for the S%irit of !artia "rts. &he word Shotokan is deri'ed from

(Shoto(, which was !aster Funakoshi)s %en name, and means (*a'in+ Pines(, and (Kan(, meanin+ (Ha(.

His infuence on Karate was so +reat that he is credited with chan+in+ the meanin+ of the hinese characters

for (Kara-te( from hinese Hand to m%t Hand.

&he !aster died "%ri /6th 102 in &oko, but his karate has +one from stren+th to stren+th and is now

 %racticed a o'er the word.

Perha%s the !aster)s +reatest e+ac is his famous 3o4o Kun, which we re%roduce beow. 5ut do not ne+ect

to consider the / Prece%ts, either. &he are of no ess 'aue.

&here has been a weath of materia written about !aster Funakoshi, and this website does not attem%t to %a+iari#e the hard work of others. *e recommend ou read (Karate-3o - ! *a of 7ife(, which is the

!aster)s stor in his own words.

Dojo Kun

Hitotsu 9inkaku Kansei :i &sutomuru Koto

;One &o Stri'e For &he Perfection Of haracter<

Hitotsu !akoto :o !ichi O !amoru Koto

;One &o 3efend &he Paths Of &ruth<

Hitotsu 3oroku :o Seishin O =ashinau Koto

;One &o Foster &he S%irit Of ffort<

Hitotsu >ei+i O Omon#uru Koto

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;One &o Honour &he Princi%es Of ti?uette<

Hitotsu Kekki :o =u O $mashimuru Koto

;One &o Guard "+ainst $m%etuous oura+e<

 

The 20 Precepts

Karate-do be+ins with courtes and ends with rei.

&here is no first strike in karate.

Karate is an aid to 4ustice.

First know oursef before attem%tin+ to know others.

S%irit first, techni?ue second.

"was be read to reease our mind.

 

"ccidents arise from ne+i+ence.

3o not think that karate trainin+ is on in the do4o.

$t wi take our entire ife to earn karate, there is no imit.

Put our e'erda i'in+ into karate and ou wi find (!o( ;subte secrets

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*hen ou ea'e home, think that ou ha'e numerous o%%onents waitin+ for ou.

5e+inners must master ow stance and %osture, natura bod %ositions are for the ad'anced.

Practicin+ a Kata eAact is one thin+, en+a+in+ in a rea fi+ht is another.

3o not for+et to correct a%%B stren+th and weakness of %ower, stretchin+ and contraction of the bod, and

sowness and s%eed of techni?ues.

"was think and de'ise was to i'e the %rece%ts of karate-do e'er da.